A crowd moves through Union Square in San Francisco, Calif., during a march by unionized hotel workers Tuesday, January 5, 2009, including AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, as part of a civil disobedience that launched a boycott of the Hilton San Francisco. (Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle)

Unionized hotel workers began a boycott of the Hilton San Francisco Tuesday with an 800-person march and a 160-person sit-in blocking the hotel lobby, which resulted in dozens of arrests, including AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka.

Members of the hotel workers union Local 2 have staged a series of walkouts and boycotts since their contract expired in August. The union has sought to retain health care coverage with low co-payments, while management has insisted that the San Francisco workers pay more of the ever-rising costs.

Management representatives have said the boycotts and disruptions hurt San Francisco's tourist industry. Union officials say profitable corporate hotel chains can afford to maintain the benefits.

Further

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